Pump priming



Oct- 13, ,71953 c. A. BIERLEIN 2,655,139

PUMP PRIMING Filed June 19, 1951 mln l? lll/I1 lill/ llll lnventor (Ittornegs Patented Oct. 1.3, 1.953

Carl A. Bierlein, Cleveland, Ohio; assigner to General Motors orporatiom Detroit; Michal a corporation of Delaware Application June 1.1i, 1951, Serial o. 232A??? This invention relates to marine engine cool-v ing. systems having a plurality of cooling pumps and more particularly relates to priming means for one pumpby another.

In internal vcombustion marine engines located Wellabove the Water line of a ship it is necessary to prime the sea Water pump driven by the engine and having a sea water inlet pipe extending below the Water line. In such systems an engine driven fresh Water cooling pumpis also provided and the water discharged therefrom is delivered to an exhauster to evacuate air and vapor from the sea Water pump and inlet pipe to prime thisfpump. It evacuation is incomplete and. there is not a suicient head of Water on the pump inlet the pump will lose its prime and repeated priming isnecessary to obtain. delivery therefrom.-

The principal object of the present invention is to provide control` means acting in responsel to a preselectedr delivery pressure of the pump being primed to discontinue the priming operation in order to provide prompt and continuous delivery pressure from the pump.

The combined engine cooling system embodying automatic pump priming control means for accomplishing this object" together With other novel features thereof' will become apparent by reference to the following description and dravvings illustrating one modication of an engine cooling system and the. automatic control means therein which particularly adaptable for` marine use.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a diagrammatic view of the complete engine cooling system Showing the arrangement of the eleiner'its` and connections therebetween;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional viewv of a detail shown in Figure I.

Figure 3 is' an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one oi? the valves shown in Figure 1.

Figure iV is" an enlarged longitudinal sectional Viewv of certain otherof the valve means* shown in Figure 1.

As best seen in Figure 1 of the'. drawings a water cooled. internal combustion engine-E1, oi' the diesel marine type,- isl shown provided with fresli and. sea water cooling pumps'FP and Sie driven by' shafts l and'3 from the engine. The fresh water pump FP' circulates fresh water through the engine cooling passages and fresh Water passages inv a heat exchanger HE through' pipe con' nections 5, i and il in the direction of the arrows shown adjacent these' connections' for cooling the fresh water. The heat exchanger HE may' also be provided' with engine lubricating oil passages', not

shown, throughwh h engine lubricating oil is circulated by an ne driven lubricating pump, not show'ri, for c ng the oil, expansion tank ET also serving as a fresh water reservoir is located trie highest point or the engine coolingr system and is shown provided with a filler cap Il` and an open vent pipe I3 on the upper end of this taule.A A vapor vent pipe 5= is connected between av point inthe expansion tank: ET above the level of. the water therein. and tire engine water outlet' pipe-i and a fresia: water make up pipe it is connected between a point in the expansion tank'T below the Water level therein,-v to the inlet pipe 9 ofi the freshwater pump FP;

The sea Water pump srT is provided with a seawater inlet' pipe' il extending downwardly to a point re1pwv the sea water level1. The discharge opening of the sea Water pump is'- col'-Ilecte(iA by' a sea water pump dlscliarg'eY p e line le in"- cluding: a check valve 2l and a normal-ly open, pressure aotuatedY cutof valve 23 to the inlet ofi the sea water passages. in the neat exchanger and. overboard discharge pipe 255 is c'omiected'v to the: outlet of. the sea Water passages in the heat eirciianger so tliat sea. water: is circinateri` tlierethroiign iin the' directions or the arrowsto cool the firesn Water and engine lubricating oil-` ins the fresn. water and' oil passages therein.- The. check' valve 2i seatsto prevent reverse flow tnrougntnepipeline is'.

Glider to evacuate alii? Vapor from the- Water inlet pipe: W andpromptl-Y' prizne the sea water pump SP', suction pipeline 2l. including a manual valve 29, a priming sea Water clit-ofi Valve 3i? ald a ellk Valve" 33', is I(tonnected between the sea water puin-p inlet pipe |111' and; aI suction porti inA ari` exhauster' EX so: that i'lovv of air'in the direction ot` the arrows may take place.. The' check valve 313i in the suction line adjacent the exhauster EX seats@ to" prevent otvv ofi air in the reverse direction therefrom. The sea water priming cutoii` vaflfve 31 located in this line above the inlety ot thefsea water pump S-P cuts ori ow' of seawater inl this line at axlevel abo-ve the pump.

Tlie eX'll'auster EXv asi best' seen in Figure 2; is or conventional typecomprising: a body" 35 having arr enlarged cavity 3ft W-itlia', suction port'v 3.1 operi ing into one side Wall thereof; andi-a pressure inlet noz`z1eopening 39?' and a co'axfially' disposed die verging outletopenilng 41 in opposite ends' of the cavity. The exhauster suction port Silis" con'-i ne'cted tjo the suction pipeline 2'1, the exlia'uster outlet opening' 412 is connected by a pipe fitting l3 to the' upper portion of tl'ie expansion tank ET and the exliau'ster pressure inlet nozzi opening 39 is connected to the pressure discharge side of the fresh water pump FP, by means of a fresh water pump pressure pipe line 45, shown including a manual valve 41 and another normally open pressure actuated cut-off valve 23. It will be noted that the pressure pipe line 45 extends upwardly of the exhauster above the level of the fresh water therein to retain water in this line at all times.

The normally open pressure actuated cut-ofi valves 23 are best shown in Figure 4. Each of these valves comprises a body 49 having spaced water cavities 5l and 53 and a partition 55 between these cavities shown provided with a valve seat opening 51 extending laterally with respect thereto. The valve body 49 is provided with a cylindrical recess 58 in alignment with the valve seat opening 51. A valve stem 59 is slidable in a bore in the valve body coaxial with the recess 58 and valve seat opening 51 and a valve head 59 on the stem cooperates therewith. The end of the valve stem 59 shown within the recess 5S is secured to a diaphragm 6l clamped at the periphery thereof between the edge of this recess and a cylindrical pressure cap 53 by clamp bolts shown extending through openings in the cap and threaded to the valve body 49. A compression spring 55 is placed between the bottom of the recess 58 and the diaphragm 6| and a bleed port 51 is provided in the wall of this recess. The spring 65 normally retains the valve head 59' in spaced relation with the Valve seat opening 51 and thev cap 83 is provided with a pressure inlet opening 69 to allow pressure to act on the diaphragm and move it against the force of the spring 65 to cause seating of the valve head 53 in the seat opening 51 and cut olf flow between the water cavities 5| and 53 in the valve body 48. The water cavities 5l and 53 in one of the valves 23 are connected in series in sea water pump discharge pipe line I9 and the pressure inlet opening 69 in the cap B3 of this valve is connected in a pressure pipe line 1i including a manual valve 13 to the pressure pipe line 45 connected between the outlet pipe 5 of the fresh water pump FP and the pressure inlet nozzle opening 35 of the exhauster EX. The water cavities 5l and 53 in the other valve 23 are connected in series in the pressure pipe line 45 between the fresh water pump FP and exhauster inlet nozzle opening 33 and the pressure opening 69 in the cap 63 of this valve is connected by a pressure pipe line 15 including a manual valve 11 to the sea water pump discharge pipe line i9.

The priming sea water cut-01T valve 3|, as best seen in Figure 3, is provided with a body 19 having a lower sea water cavity Bl and an upper suction cavity 83 and a partition 85 therebetween provided with a valve seat opening 81. A iioat valve 39 is located in the lower sea water cavity 8l and is seated in the valve seat opening B1 when the sea water enters this cavity through the suction pipe line 21 from the sea water inlet pipe I1 and reaches a level above that of the sea water pump inlet. The suction pipe line 21 is also connected to the upper portion of the upper suction cavity 83 of the valve body 19 and a gauge glass 8| is connected between the upper and lower portions of the suction cavity B3 to detect leakage of sea water past the float valve into the suction cavity. v

Priming of the sea water pump SP starts upon starting and operation of the engine E and fresh water pump FP driven thereby. Fresh water under pressure is delivered by the fresh water lpump through the pressure pipe line 45 and exhauster EX to 'the expansion tank ET and through the pressure pipe line 1l leading from the pipe line 45 to the diaphragm in the Valve 23 in the sea Water pump discharge pipe line to cause closure of this valve. The suction developed by the exhauster EX is applied through the suction pipe line 21 to the sea water pump inlet pipe l1 to evacuate air and vapor therefrom and the sea Water rises in this pipe and suction pipe line to a level in the lower cavity of the sea water priming cut-off valve 3'! above the inlet of the engine driven sea Water pump. The sea water pump then discharges sea water under pressure through the pressure pipe line 15 to the diaphragm of the valve 23 in the pressure pipe line 45 to exhauster EX, and the valve y59' of the diaphragm 5l thereupon cuts 01T the delivery of fresh water to the exhauster cavity 38 and also cuts off pressure through the pipe line 'H to the diaphragm of the valve 23 in the sea water pump discharge pipe line, causing this valve to be returned by the spring to the normal open position. Sea water may then be discharged through this valve, the heat interchanger and overboard discharge pipe to cool the engine cooling water and lubricating oil in the heat interchanger.

The above described cooling system provides prompt automatic priming of the engine driven sea water pump SP located above sea level and priming is continued until the sea water pump pressure builds up to a point necessaryY to discontinue priming thereof by the fresh water pump FP and exhauster EX and thus insures continued dischargepf sea water from the sea water pump. The combined fresh water reservoir and expansion tank ET provided with the vapor vent pipe i3 into which the water and vapor from the exhauster passes enables it to quickly evacuate the sea water pump of air and vapor and completely ll the inlet pipe l1 of the sea water pump SP. The sea water priming cut-olf valve 3| in the suction pipe line 21 limits the height of the sea water therein above the sea water pump and prevents sea water from entering the expansion tank and mixing with the fresh ywater therein and the check valve 33 in the suction pipe line 21 prevents air and vapor from being drawn from the expansion tank ET into Vthe sea water pump SP after it has been primed and is operating to insure maximum discharge therefrom.

I claim:

l. The combination of a driven, liquid pump having a normally open discharge valve and serving asa priming pump, a second driven, liquid pump, requiring priming, and having a normally open discharge valve, an exhauster having a fluid flow passageway and a suction passage communieating therewith, a suction pipe including a check valve interconnecting the exhauster suction passage and second pump to apply suction thereto, pressure operated means connected to the outlet of the priming pump discharge valve to close the second pump discharge valve to apply suction and prime said pump, and a second pressure operated means connected to the inlet side oi said second pump discharge valve to close the priming pump discharge valve and permit the return of the discharge valve of the second pump to return to the norm-al, open position after build-up of liquid pressure in said second pump.

2. The combination of a driven, liquid pump ,having a spring opened discharge valve and sewing asapriming pump, a,- secondlunveninquid pump requiring pri-ming, and having" aspx-ing opened discharge valve and check valve conV nected' iin series therewith, an ex-hausterr havingl a Huid flow passageway connected t'o the discharge side of the priming pumpdis'charge valve and a suction passage communicating w'itl'iv the exhauster fluid flow passageway, a suction con?V nection including a check valve to connectth'e eX-hauster suction passage with the inlet side of' the second pump to apply suctionfthereto, pre-s-`VA sure operated means in' communication with the inletside of the exhaust'er fluid Vflow passage toclese the discharge valve of the secondpurnpto prevent fluid ow through said valvel and icheck valve in seriestherewith and to startv pruning'v `lpump requiring priming, and having a spring opened discharge valve, an exhauster having a uuid flow passageway connected to the disch-arge side of the priming pump discharge valve and a suction passage communicating with the ex- -haustcr fluid flow passageway,-a suction connection including a check valve and a float valve to connect the exhauster suction passage with the inlet side of the second pump to apply suction thereto, pressure operated means in communication with the inlet side of the exhauster uid -iiow passage to close the discharge valve of the second pump to prevent fluid flow through said valve to start priming of said second pump, and other pressure responsive means communicating -with the inlet side of the second pump discharge valve to close the discharge valve of the priming -pump and discontinue the priming of the second pump upon a rise in liquid pressure therein.

4. The combination of an engine having a cooling water passage, a heat exchanger, a cooling water pump driven by the engine, pipe connections connecting the engine cooling water passage, the heat interchanger and cooling water pump in series, a combined water tank and vapor separator located above the engine and provided with an upper vapor vent, a pipe line interconnecting the upper portions of the engine cooling water passage and tank, a pipe line connecting the lower portion of the tank and inlet of the cooling water pump, an exhauster having a lower water outlet communicating with the upper portion of the tank, an upper water inlet nozzle and a suction port, a water pipe line including a spring opened valve connecting the exhauster inlet nozzle and outlet of the water cooling pump, a second water pump driven by the engine having a spring opened discharge valve and a downwardly extending water inlet pipe, a pipe line connecting the exhauster suction port tothe inlet pipe of the second pump including a float valve located above the second pump and a check valve between the float valve and the suction port, pressure actuated means communicating with the inlet side of the exhauster nozzle to close the discharge valve of the second pump to apply suction to and thereby completely fill inlet pipe thereof with water, and a second pressure operated means communicating with the inlet side of the second pump discharge valve to close the 6 valve connected to'theexhauster nozzle to dis-f continue operation of thel exhauster;

5.- In combination amarine engine havingv a-f sea water-passages1,a tank located above. the en-` gine to serve as ai combined fresh water tank andy vapor separator and provided .with an vupper vapor vent, a freshwater supply pipe connected betweenv the lower portion ofthe tank and inlet of' the freshwater pump, an vexhauster for the sea waterv pump having a fresh water" passagewayV in communication with the upper portion. ofthe tanky andl a suction passage communicat`v ing! Withtlie freshwater' passageway', apipe line interconnecting the exhauster fresh waterV pase sageway and outlet of the fresh water pump and including a spring opened valve, a suction pipe line connected at the upper end to the exhauster suction passage and connected at the lower end to the upper portion of the inlet pipe of the sea water pump, said suction pipe line including a float valve in the lower portion and a check valve in the upper portion to :apply suction therethrough on the inlet pipe of the sea water pump. pressure operated means communicating with the outlet side of the valve connected to the outlet of the fresh water pump to close the sea water pump discharge valve and permit an increase in suction in the sea water pump to cause the sea Water to rise to level above the sea water inlet pipe thereof and enter and close the float Valve in the suction pipe line, the check valve in said suction pipe line closing to prevent down flow of fluid in said line, and a second pressure operated means communicating with the inlet side of the sea water pump discharge valve to close the valve in the fresh Water line from the fresh Water pump to the exhauster to cut off suction on the sea water inlet pipe when the discharge pressure of the sea water pump builds up.

6. In combination a marine engine having fa fresh Water cooling water passage, a fresh water pump and a sea water pump driven by the engine, said sea water pump having an inlet pipe extending downwardly therefrom below sea level, and a spring opened discharge valve, a heat interchanger having fresh and sea water passages, .pipes connecting the fresh water pump in series with the fresh water passages in the engine and heat exchanger, pipes connecting the sea water pump in series with the heat exchanger sea water passages, a tank located fabove the engine to serve as a combined fresh water tank and vapor separator and provided with an upper vapor vent, a vapor vent pipe connecting the upper portion of the engine cooling passage with the upper portion of the tank, a fresh water supply pipe connected between the lower portion of the tank and inlet of the fresh water pump, an exhauster for the sea water pump located adjacent the tank and having a fresh water passageway in communication with the upper portion of the tank and a suction passage communicating with the fresh water passageway, a pipe line interconnecting the exhauster fresh water passageway and outlet of the fresh water pump and including a spring opened valve, a suction pipe line connected at the upper end to the exhauster suction passage and connected at the lower end to the upper portion of the inlet pipe of the sea Water pump, said suction pipe line including a float closed valve in the lower portion and a check valve in the upper portion to apply suction therethrough on the inlet pipe of the sea water pump, pressure operated means communicating with outlet side of the valve connected to the outlet of the fresh water pump to close the sea water pump discharge valve and permit an increase in suction in the sea water pump to cause the sea Water to rise to a level above the sea water inlet pipe thereof and enter and close the float valve in the suction pipe line, the check valve in said suction pipe line closing to prevent down flow of fluid in said line, and a second pressure means communicating with the inlet side of the sea water pump discharge valve to close the valve in the fresh water line from the fresh water pump to the exhauster to out off suction on the sea water inlet pipe when the discharge pressure of the sea water pump builds up.

Cil

7. The combination with a first liquid pump requiring priming, and having inlet and outlet lines, a liquid priming pump having inlet and outlet lines, evacuating means connected to the inlet line of the first pump :and operable by pressure in the outlet line of the priming pump, a normally-open pressure-closable valve controlling the delivery of pressure from the outlet line of the priming pump to the evacuating means and closable in response to pressure at a point in the outlet line of the first pump, of a second, normally-open, pressure-closable valve controlling the outlet line of the rst pump below said point and closable in response to pressure in the outlet line of the priming pump between said iirst named valve and the evacuating means.

vCARL A. BIERLEl'N.

References Cited in the lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,806,968 Fahrney May 26, 1931 2,428,373 Lloyd Oct. '1, 1947 

